This Story Always Ends the Same
by Florencetheflowerfairy
Summary: A collection of loosely-related stories about the first few years in Jyou and Mimi's romantic relationship as they grow into adults. How will it end? [Written for the Joumi Topic and Jyoumi Week 2017] [Rated T for shenanigans in Chapter 2]
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

**This story is written for "El Primer Beso" activity in the Joumi Topic, and it is the first of several stories for Jyoumi Week 2017.**

 **Day 1: Firsts**

 **Digimon does not belong to me.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The Beginning**

Jyou walked out of the university library carrying thirteen books in his arms about the nervous system. He made it halfway across the quad before the top book slipped off and hit the ground.

"Nngh!" Jyou huffed and tried to balance the remaining twelve volumes in one arm while reaching down to pick up the fallen item with his other arm. He slowly bent his knees and leaned to the side… One by one, the twelve books tumbled out of his grasp in rapid succession and fell on top of his feet. "GAHH!" He shook his fists at the sky. Why did there have to be so many people watching?

A group of young women were sitting on the grass and reading together. One of them hopped up, jogged to Jyou's side, and started picking up his books. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm just PEACHY!" Jyou grumbled, collecting his materials. He snatched his books back from her.

He noticed that she had short pink hair, bright pink lips, and vintage cat-eye glasses. Her eyes widened when he shouted at her, and Jyou felt guilty.

"I mean—uh—that is—um…" he stuttered.

Jyou's backpack suddenly unzipped itself and a purple-spotted white seal poked its head out. The woman gasped.

"Mon chéri! Zank you for your 'elp!" The seal spoke in a bad French accent. He whipped out a red rose with his flipper and offered it to her.

"Gomamon…" Jyou groaned.

"He's so cute!" The woman giggled.

"Did you know that my partner, the one and only Jyou Kido, in addition to being the exceedingly handsome man you see before you, has also saved your planet? Several times?" Gomamon gave his most adorable smile. The women on the grass all said "Awww" at the same time.

"No, I didn't know that!" The pink-haired student replied. "Can I pet him?" She asked Jyou.

"No," Jyou said.

"YES!" Gomamon said.

"Don't encourage him." Jyou scooped up his last book and held the pile in front of him, grateful that the volumes obscured his red face. "Thank you for your help, Miss. Excuse me." He continued marching down the path and picked up the pace.

"Jyou, no! Don't!" Gomamon gave an exaggerated sigh and threw his rose to the ladies. "Farewell, mon chéri!"

"Gomamon!" Jyou used his sternest voice as he walked. "This nonsense has got to stop."

"But Jyoooou…"

"No buts!"

"She had glasses! That means she's a smart cookie like you! It's meant to be!" Gomamon deftly argued.

"Having glasses doesn't mean you're smart," Jyou retorted.

"You could have fooled me."

"No I couldn't have."

"Okay okay. You couldn't have fooled me into thinking you're smart. I admit it," Gomamon said dryly.

Jyou laughed.

Gomamon persisted, his voice choking up. "You've been working so hard since you got to college that you haven't made any friends."

"College is hard work. I told you that before we came."

"But high school was hard work too! And med school is also hard work! And being a doctor is also hard work! When does it END?"

"Cheer up, Gomamon. I think homework is fun."

"Nooo!" Gomamon whined. "That's not what fun is! You don't smile and laugh when you're doing homework, Jyou! Don't you remember what actual fun is? You had actual fun whenever Mimi was around."

Jyou opened and closed his mouth but no sound came out. He stopped walking and sighed. His knees were buckling from so much weight… He carefully set down his school supplies and sat on a park bench, overlooking a shimmering lake. He put Gomamon on his lap and petted the digimon's orange mohawk.

Gomamon smiled and leaned into Jyou's hand affectionately. "Jyou? Do you remember having actual fun with Mimi?"

"Yes, Gomamon."

"Mimi took you ice skating… surfing… Disneyland…"

"Yes, I remember all that!"

"Phew! Then you remember what fun is, right?"

"Yes, Gomamon." Jyou bit his lip. "That girl had pink hair…" he trailed off.

"Oh! Mimi had pink hair!"

"Yes…"

"Jyou?"

"Yes?"

"Is Mimi the reason you don't want me to get you a girlfriend?"

Jyou groaned. "Mimi is still in high school. She sees me like an older brother."

"You didn't deny it!" Gomamon looked excited.

"It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if Mimi is the most beautiful and gracious and kindest woman in the world. She doesn't see me that way."

"Of course Mimi doesn't think you're the most beautiful woman in the world! You're a man!" Gomamon waved his flippers in exasperation.

"That's not what I—never mind. Come on. Why would Mimi be interested in _me_?"

"Because you're going to be a SUPER RICH DOCTOR SOME DAY!"

"Gomamon!" Jyou grabbed his partner and shook him.

"Jyou!" a lilting voice came from behind him.

Jyou froze in the middle of shaking Gomamon, who moaned from being dizzy. _That voice…_

A pair of perfectly manicured hands reached around Jyou's head and covered his eyes. "Guess who!" The lilting voice demanded.

Jyou's mouth felt dry. "Mimi?" He whispered.

"DING DING DING! You guessed correctly!" Mimi let go of his eyes and laughed. Jyou watched in amazement as the teenage girl floated over his head into his sight. The pink fairy Lilymon was carrying her on her shoulder.

Mimi sure knew how to make an entrance. Now everyone on the grassy quad was staring and gawking at the beautiful fairy in a tulip dress.

"Mimi!" Jyou grinned from ear to ear—then his jaw dropped in shock. His mouth tried to form words.

On his lap, Gomamon mouthed _"I love you"_ to help him. Jyou bonked the seal's head before he said anything out loud.

"What are you doing here?" Jyou finally asked.

"Visiting you!" Mimi flipped her hair, which was currently strawberry blonde.

"But… what's the occasion?" Jyou hadn't seen Mimi wear that color hair before. It seemed to glitter in the sunlight.

"I missed you," Mimi answered with total sincerity, and Jyou's heart melted. Mimi tapped Lilymon's head and the fairy gently lowered her onto the park bench. The girl crossed her legs and scooted closer to the boy.

Jyou gulped. "You're so…spontaneous."

"Thank you." She grinned. "You're so predictable! I knew you would be right by the library."

Jyou laughed again. Then he pulled at his collar nervously, as though he was sweating. "How…how much did you hear?" His voice was higher than normal.

"I heard that you're going to be a super rich doctor!" Mimi's voice was just as high as normal.

"Yeah!" Gomamon chimed in, "Good husband material—!" Jyou clamped his hand over Gomamon's mouth.

"I-I'm so sorry! Please ignore him!" Jyou tried to laugh and sounded like a sad goose honking.

Mimi's smile wilted. She looked away and pressed down the wrinkles in her skirt. "Jyou…"

Jyou watched her nervously, praying that Gomamon hadn't ruined their precious friendship.

"Jyou, I…" Mimi snapped back to attention, a determined expression on her face. "Jyou, I miss you, and I really like you, and I want to keep visiting you like this, and if it is okay with you—I would like to date you. Is that okay?"

Jyou gaped at her. He was too honest to hold it in. "YES!"

Mimi blinked rapidly. "Really?"

"YES! I mean—" Jyou cleared his throat. "Yes."

Mimi's eyes turned misty. "I thought you only saw me as a silly little girl…"

"No! No no no! Not you! You—you're—" Jyou saw that Gomamon was mouthing instructions again, and this time Jyou followed them and repeated the words dutifully. "Mimi, you're the most beautiful, the most gracious, the k-kindest woman in the worl—!"

Mimi didn't let him finish. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Jyou responded immediately and enthusiastically. He pushed Gomamon out of his lap and pulled in Mimi. Above their heads, Lilymon conjured a flurry of rose petals that fell into the humans' hair.

All around them, everyone watching said "Awww" at the same time.

Mimi pulled her face a few inches back and she smiled tearfully at her friend. "I feel the same way about you!"

"That he's the most beautiful woman in the world?" Lilymon asked.

"Yes!" Mimi lilted.

Jyou took the compliment and kissed her again.

* * *

 **More to come! How many more times will they kiss?**

 **Remember to review! :D**


	2. Chapter 2: Biology Essay

**Jyoumi Week Day 2: Water**

 **Digimon does not belong to me, and neither does** _ **Love Actually**_ **.**

 **The only reason this fanfic is rated [T] is because of this chapter. ;)**

 **Chapter 2: Biology Essay**

It was Saturday, and Jyou was sitting on the shady porch of a log cabin, far away from his university. He was gazing at a sparkling lake, and the sun was rising above pink clouds on the horizon. A gentle breeze ruffled his hair and he smiled. He held a pen in his hand; he had written twenty pages of his biology essay this morning. The peaceful environment was conducive for concentrating on homework.

Mimi had said that Jyou was out of his mind for bringing homework on their weekend camping trip. "You're missing the whole point of vacation!" she said. But Jyou had won that argument. He needed to finish this essay by Monday, and he had an incentive to finish it in the early morning. Then he and Mimi could spend the rest of the weekend boating and fishing together.

The sun had almost climbed out from beyond the mountains, and Jyou had almost finished his essay. He only needed to write a conclusion. It wouldn't be difficult work for him.

The wind sped up and almost picked up his handwritten pages off of the table; Jyou quickly pinned them down. Then the cabin door creaked open behind him and he heard a high-pitched yawn.

"Good morning Jyou," Mimi leaned over and kissed his head.

"You're awake! I mean, good morning!" Jyou looked up and smiled at her. "I'm almost finished."

"Awesome." Mimi pushed back her long, messy hair out of her face. She wore a loose-fitting T-shirt that read 'I love nerds' and pink pajama pants. In her hands she was holding a large, steaming mug. "I made you coffee," she whispered and held out the drink for him. She was truly a heavenly vision.

"Thank you!" Jyou exclaimed and hastily grabbed the coffee mug.

As soon as he let go of his papers, the wind picked them up again and tossed them off the table. The pages danced in the air and flew towards the lake.

"NO!" Jyou shouted. He spilled the coffee on his pants.

Mimi gasped and the wind swept her hair back over her face. "Ack!" She pulled the tangles out of her eyes, hopped off of the porch, and chased after the flying papers. "Come back!" she shouted. She snatched one page, and the rest floated into the water.

"No no NO NO NO! Aauugh I worked so hard on that!" Jyou yelled.

Mimi threw off her t-shirt and tossed it into the grass.

"Mimi what are you—MIMI!" Jyou gaped and then shielded his eyes.

Mimi pulled down her pants.

"Mimi don't do whatever you're thinking of doing!—"

Mimi dived into the water.

"Dammit! Damn damn—now I have to go in too or I'll look like an idiot," Jyou grumbled and yanked off his shirt.

Mimi stuck her head out of the lake, holding her shoulders and shivering. "SHIT IT'S COLD!"

"I'M SORRY!" Jyou apologized on behalf on the lake and ran forward, pulling down his pants as he went. Mimi turned her head away modestly, and missed seeing her boyfriend trip over a rock and fall into the lake. She only heard and felt the resulting splash.

"SHIT IT'S COLD!" Jyou shouted.

Mimi paddled forward and grabbed another page. "I told you to not bring your homework!"

"What part of 'It's due on Monday' do you not understand?!" Jyou found two more soaking papers. He could barely read his handwriting now. "No no no…" he whined.

"This had better be stellar writing!" Mimi insisted.

"It's actually terrible. I wrote the whole thing in four hours," Jyou admitted sheepishly.

Behind them, Gomamon waddled out of the cabin, yawning sleepily. He watched the humans shouting in the freezing water with some amusement. Then Palmon picked him up and threw him in the lake.

"Whoah!" Gomamon made a much smaller splash than his human partner. Within five seconds of his arrival, he summoned an army of fishes that scooped up the remaining essay pages and put them back in the correct order.

…

After thanking his digimon partner profusely, Jyou spent the rest of Saturday inside the cabin, where he meticulously copied his essay onto dry paper, out of the wind's reach.

Mimi nudged his shoulder. She wore a grouchy face and a towel draped over her shoulders. She held out another cup of coffee to him.

She was, if possible, an even more heavenly vision.

"I made you coffee again, you annoying nerd," she grunted.

"Thank you Mimi," he gingerly took the cup and drank it.

"You're welcome." She tilted his face back to hers and kissed him.


	3. Chapter 3: Buckwheat and Jelly Beans

**Day 3: Gifts**

 **Chapter 3: Buckwheat and Jelly Beans**

Jyou was spending his birthday lying on the couch and reading about the historiography of Japanese gynecology. Then there was a loud rapping on the door. Jyou grinned, threw the text book over his shoulder, and hurried to welcome his expected guest.

He opened the front door and there were Mimi and Palmon, wearing matching yellow dresses and holding a big wrapped package tied up in a bow. "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" they sung in unison.

"Thank you! Oh my. I'm so surprised. You shouldn't have!" Jyou said, as though Mimi hadn't been dropping hints all week that she was preparing an epic birthday present for him.

"Don't be silly. I love making presents! Especially THIS present!" Mimi thrust the gift into Jyou's hands.

"Open it! Open it! Open it!" Palmon chanted.

"Okay okay, come inside." Jyou ushered the girls inside and carried the present to the kitchen table, where Gomamon was waiting eagerly. He carefully untied the bow and slowly peeled off the wrapping paper.

"Jyooooouuu!" Gomamon rolled on the table impatiently.

"…Aha!" Jyou tossed the last bit of wrapping paper aside and finally saw his present. "You made me a cake?"

"YES!" Mimi hopped excitedly.

"I made the frosting!" Palmon chimed in.

The frosting was a blue swirly mess with a picture of what appeared to be a white duck on top.

Gomamon squinted. "Is that supposed to be me?"

"No, it's Ikakumon! So it's the cool version of you!" Palmon clarified.

"Didn't she do a lovely job?" Mimi's eyes shown with pride.

"Uh. Um. Yeah!" Jyou smiled at the plant digimon and petted her flowery head.

Gomamon tilted his head to the side and squinted at the picture, still not buying it.

"And it's not just ANY cake…" Mimi said dramatically.

"Yes?" Jyou arched his eyebrows.

"Your mother told me that you've eaten the same vanilla cake for every birthday you've ever had."

"That's true!" Jyou replied. "I don't mess with the classic."

"Your mother gave me the recipe," Mimi explained.

"Awww." Jyou was touched. "That's so kind of you, Mimi." It was his first birthday living in an apartment without his mom, and Mimi had made his favorite plain vanilla cake for him.

"And that's not all!" Mimi continued.

"Huh?"

"Your mother gave me your old recipe, but I _improved_ it!"

"Say what?"

"A brand new birthday cake for a brand new adult life!" Mimi clapped her hands together.

Gomamon looked thrilled. "Good! I was tired of that boring vanilla cake."

Jyou was starting to feel nervous. "How did you _improve_ it?"

"Oh, I just added a few ingredients," she said mysteriously.

"Like…what?"

Mimi was not good at keeping secrets. "Buckwheat!"

"Buckwheat?!" Jyou was flabbergasted.

"And a layer of peanut butter with lemon meringue! And jelly beans!"

"Excuse me?" Jyou was confused.

"And the secret ingredient…" Mimi whispered, " _Pistachios!_ "

"Um."

"You said you loved pistachios!"

"I did?"

"Yes! You told me so when you were thirteen."

Jyou did not remember that at all, but he couldn't help but be impressed that Mimi did. Gomamon suddenly did not look so excited for the birthday cake, but Jyou forced a smile. "Right! Well, let's dig in!"

Mimi grabbed a knife and cut out a large piece for him. "Nobody eats until the birthday boy gets the first bite!" She cut out another piece for Gomamon, who was showing uncharacteristic restraint around sweets.

Jyou took a deep breath. He stuck his fork in the cake and scooped up a bite into his mouth.

Mimi watched him attentively.

Jyou winced and chewed slowly… He shut his eyes and swallowed.

Mimi held her breath.

Jyou wiped his mouth politely with a napkin. "It's delicious!" He coughed into the napkin.

Mimi was delighted. She hugged him tight. "EXCELLENT! YOU'RE WELCOME!" She kissed Jyou on both cheeks and then cut a slice for herself. "Happy birthday, Jyou. You're my favorite person." She took a bite.

Jyou was deeply moved by her words. "Thank you, Mimi—"

Mimi coughed out her bite. "YUCK!"

"Er." Jyou looked away awkwardly.

"This tastes so gross!"

"Um…Yeah, it does," Jyou admitted.

"Why didn't you say so?" Mimi asked. "You have the crest of honesty! You can't lie!"

"Oh Mimi…" Jyou shrugged and smiled innocently. "I'm only _human_. I want to be a good boyfriend."

Mimi was touched. "Oh Jyou!" She hugged him tight and Jyou hugged her right back.

"But my frosting was good, right?" Palmon asked nervously.

"Your frosting is beautiful," Jyou assured her.

"But it doesn't look anything like me!" Gomamon objected. Jyou stuffed a forkful of cake into the seal's mouth and shut him up.

As soon as Mimi let him go, Jyou turned back to his piece and took another bite.

"You don't have to eat it, silly," Mimi insisted.

"Wait…" Jyou chewed and swallowed again. He paused. "It's actually not that bad."

"No lying!"

"No. I mean it. The first bite shocked me, but…" He kept eating. "It's actually kind of fun tasting? You know, I think I like buckwheat."

"Jyou…"

"This cake came out of the blue and is full of surprises. I wasn't expecting it, but it's quickly growing on me… Just like you did!" Jyou said, ruining any subtlety to his metaphor.

Mimi smiled and picked back up her piece. She could tell that Jyou was being sincere again. They were both bad at lying. "Thank you."

"Thank _you_ ," Jyou insisted.

Gomamon pushed his piece to Palmon, who gobbled it up in three messy bites.

"Thank you!" Palmon grinned, bits of peanut butter and jelly beans around her mouth.

"How am _I_ the only refined one here?" Gomamon rolled his eyes.

"I am a very refined, classy lady!" Mimi defended herself. Then she used her napkin to wipe off a speck of blue frosting on Jyou's nose.

"Whoops! Clumsy me…" Jyou didn't finish his sentence as Mimi leaned in the rest of the way to kiss him.


	4. Chapter 4: When You Wish Upon a Star

**Day 4: Fairy tale**

 **Digimon does not belong to me, and neither does** _ **Beauty and the Beast**_ **.**

 **Chapter 4: When You Wish Upon a Star**

Mimi had planned this date for weeks. As confident as she was, she couldn't help but feel nervous. Jyou didn't always react well to her ideas.

He was a sweetheart and a teddy bear and his kisses were like brownies. Mimi thanked her lucky stars that he was her boyfriend. But he was also so tall, so respectable, so _grown up_. He was already in college!

As much as she cared about him—and as much as Mimi knew that she shouldn't feel embarrassed around _Jyou_ of all people—it was intimidating. Now that she was his girlfriend, she worried more often about looking immature.

Palmon found Mimi's new attempts at "mature" behavior irritating. She lost her temper when she saw that Mimi was hiding her old Disney princess VHS tapes and replacing them with Akira Kurosawa classics, as if Mimi was suddenly an expert in 1950s drama films. "You can't change your personality for some _boy!_ " Palmon objected, in her infinite wisdom.

Thank goodness for Palmon. That snapped Mimi back to her senses. She decided to try another tactic; she would plan a date that was both extremely classy _and_ true to herself.

Her punctual boyfriend arrived exactly on schedule. He knocked on her apartment door at precisely 7:30pm. Mimi opened the door and smiled teasingly. "Hi Jyou. You look wonderful!"

"Thanks..." He really did look wonderful. He wore a gray cashmere sweater and his hair was slicked back. But his eyes widened like saucers and his jaw dropped to the floor when he saw his date. " _Mimi!_ "

Mimi was wearing an enormous green and white ball gown that tapered at the waist and ballooned at the hips. The hem of her dress was decorated with an elaborate design of lacy pink flowers. And placed on top of her perfectly braided updo was a tiara.

Mimi grinned and leaned against the door frame. "What do you think?"

"I think…" Jyou giggled and adjusted his glasses. "You objectively look incredible, Mimi. But now I feel woefully underdressed."

"Nonsense." Mimi grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. Her large skirt bounced slightly as she walked.

"What on earth are we doing, Mimi? A costume party?" Jyou was completely bewildered. Then Mimi took him into her bedroom, and he paled. " _Mimi?_ "

Mimi walked past her bed to her vanity, where her laptop was open towards them. She held her digivice to the screen and opened the Digital Gate. The portal glowed enticingly, and Mimi reached out for Jyou's hand again, smiling brightly.

"I uh…" Jyou cleared his throat. "You have to tell me what we're doing in there, Mimi. You know I'm allergic to danger."

"It's nothing dangerous. We'll be with friends," Mimi reassured him. "We're going on a fairy tale date!"

Something clicked in Jyou's brain, and he understood. He took Mimi's hand.

…

Jyou and Mimi sat on opposite sides of a dining table under a crystal chandelier. After performing a rousing musical number on stage, the castle's Gekomon and Otamomon served the couple a five-course meal of elegant Japanese cuisine. Mimi clapped her hands in delight and cheered. Jyou politely followed suit, though he looked flabbergasted.

"Here you are, sir!" The frog-like Gekomon jumped on top of the table and Jyou instinctively flinched. But the digimon was only giving him a plate of Chirashi Sushi.

"Th-thank you, sir!" Jyou stammered and started eating. "Mmmmm. Wow. This is amazing."

"You're welcome!" The Gekomon bowed and hopped off the table.

Jyou stared at his girlfriend. "This is maybe the fanciest place I've ever eaten in."

Mimi's eyes sparkled. That was exactly what she had wanted to hear. "Me too!"

"Is it a bit too much to ask from them?" Jyou asked awkwardly.

Mimi shook her head confidently. "Not at all! We're their friends."

"I haven't been here in years…"

"I have." Mimi leaned forward. "They know I'm not a princess. I don't want to be their princess. But they still think I'm a star! And I still think they're wonderful."

"A star? You mean you keep coming here to sing for them?"

"Sometimes. They like singing too, like you just saw. I've brought them songs from our world too. Some K-Pop, some Broadway musicals. They're interested in learning about human culture… Mostly I just like spending time with them. They're good people."

"I see… That's really thoughtful of you to keep visiting them."

"They do keep me grounded," the former princess stated. "But they're super generous and fun too! They were the ones who made me this beautiful dress. And they've taught me a little about cooking, since they're clearly such good cooks, and they LOVE my cooking."

Jyou couldn't help but laugh.

"It's a useful skill!" Mimi continued. "I'm used to relying on Mama. But I'll have to cook for myself when I move out."

Jyou blinked rapidly, nervously. But he shook his worries from his head and continued asking Mimi about the frog kingdom.

When dessert was finished, Jyou stood up and walked to Mimi's seat. "Have the Gekomon taught you how to dance?"

Mimi shook her head and whispered, "They're not very graceful."

Jyou cleared his throat. "May I have this dance?"

The girl's eyes widened. She turned to the Gekomon and Otamamon servers, and they immediately ran onto the stage and grabbed musical instruments, ready to play. Mimi grabbed Jyou's hand and responded, "Yes!"

"Great! Er, play a waltz! Please," Jyou requested. The digimon musicians pondered and started playing an unfamiliar tune. It must have been a song written by digimon, not humans. But it was still a waltz, and so Jyou placed his hand on Mimi's waist and glided away from the table.

Mimi gasped. "I didn't know you could dance?!" Mimi had taken Jyou to school dances before. He always had two left feet.

"Well… You know I'm an old fashioned guy. I can't even keep track of what songs are currently popular. I can't do anything modern…" He twirled her. "But I've taken ballroom dancing classes for fun."

"Really?" Mimi was thrilled. All her nerves about taking Jyou on this date faded away. She hadn't expected him to react so well! He really did have a romantic side!

For his part, Jyou was enjoying himself immensely. Mimi was always the one who was impressing him and bringing joy into his life. He was eager to return the favor. Although there was a nagging voice in the back of his head, distracting him from enjoying himself completely…

The couple danced and danced to the digimon's music until Jyou got tired. (Mimi was not tired.) Then the young woman led the man outside to a balcony, where they could both get fresh air and some privacy at last. It was a full moon night and the sky was blanketed in stars.

"You sure timed this date night just right," Jyou commented, admiring the beautiful view.

"You bet I did—AAHH!" Mimi gasped and ran to the edge of the balcony, pointing at the sky. Jyou saw the falling star just in time.

"You timed this date night _exactly_ right!" Jyou continued.

"I did!" Mimi delighted in taking the credit. "A wishing star! Make a wish!"

"Okay. You too," Jyou responded.

He watched Mimi close her eyes and smile serenely. She had the most beautiful smile… Finally she opened her eyes again. "Done!" she proclaimed, and looked at him expectantly.

"I made my wish too," he said. "What was yours?"

"I wished that I could be a star too!" Mimi answered excitedly.

"Really!"

"Yes! I-I really want to be a star on TV! Someday!" The faintest blush crossed her cheeks. "You don't think I'm being selfish for wishing that, do you? You probably wished for the cure to some disease or something."

"Not at all," Jyou responded kindly. "I think that's a wonderful wish. Not many people are willing to chase after a dream like that. I'm certainly not… but I know you are. Everyone in this castle knows that you are."

Mimi's heart swelled with pride and love. "What was your wish, Jyou?"

He shook his head. "It's embarrassing…"

"What?! I told you MINE!"

He chuckled. "I wished that your wish would come true."

"Jyou!" Mimi laughed and threw her arms around him. "You wonderful person!" After a night of dancing, her dress was a tad messier and her hairdo had started to come undone. Jyou gently stroked the loose strands of hair out of her face.

"Thank you Mimi…" He loved looking into her eyes. She was going to be a star. He was sure of it. As soon as Mimi moved out, she was going to be miraculous.

 _It was a lie. He hadn't wished for Mimi to fulfill her dreams. He had wished for things to remain exactly the same._

 _An impossible wish. One that he knew in his heart was wrong. Mimi couldn't stay like this forever. She was going to graduate high school soon and live her own life. She was going to become a star on television. He knew she could do it. He had total faith in her._

 _Where would Jyou fit in the life of a star? Predictable, boring, old-fashioned Jyou…_

 _If Mimi was going to shine that bright, he might have to let her go._

 _But for now, he held her tight, and he kissed her. He knew that she had worked hard to make this the perfect date. He wanted her to know that it had been the most romantic night of his life. And he wanted her to know that he appreciated the time they spent together._


	5. Chapter 5: Spotlight

**Day 5: Karaoke**

 **This chapter would be more realistic if I knew more Japanese songs. As it is, for the purposes of this Extremely Serious Story, we will have to deal with my limited repertoire of English language oldies, late 90s pop songs, and the** _ **Love Actually**_ **soundtrack. I do not own any of these songs.**

 **The legal drinking age in Japan is 20.**

 **Chapter 5: Spotlight**

Mimi loved karaoke bars. When her older college friends came to visit her and Koushiro to celebrate their upcoming graduation, she insisted that they all go out singing. Jyou was not a particularly talented singer, but he liked seeing his friends have fun, especially Mimi.

But Jyou lost his temper when he found out that Taichi had asked Koushiro to make fake IDs for everyone under the age of twenty, and Koushiro had complied.

"You can't do this! This is breaking the law!" Jyou shouted as Koushiro handed the cards to Taichi, and Taichi distributed them to his friends.

"Come on, Jyou." Taichi grinned. "You're the only one here old enough to drink legally. Be fair to the rest of us."

"I am being fair! I am applying the law fairly to all of you!" Jyou hissed. "You are all being very irresponsible!"

"We promise to drink responsibly," Sora insisted.

"You should be setting a better example, Sora!" Jyou grouched and crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Jyou…" Yamato put his hands on Jyou's shoulders. "Be cool, Jyou. For once in your life, be cool."

"Are you serious?" Jyou pouted.

"It's my party!" Mimi whined.

Jyou relented.

The six oldest Chosen Ones all ordered drinks and signed up to sing.

"You go first, Koushiro!" Mimi pushed the boy forward, knowing he would avoid participating the entire night unless she did something about it. And Mimi felt strongly that Koushiro should participate for his own party.

Koushiro sighed. "What should I sing?"

"Sing a graduation song! Something sweet and sentimental!" Mimi smiled at her classmate and wrote down a song for him.

Koushiro shrugged and got in line for the stage. _He might as well get it over with_.

The others sat down and started chatting. Jyou slid into the seat next to Mimi. Taichi called for a toast to friendship, and Mimi clinked her cup to Jyou's first.

Meanwhile, Koushiro reached the stage and squinted at the lyrics of the song Mimi had chosen for him: "Graduation (Friends Forever)."

 _It's not subtle_ , Koushiro observed, and he started singing a few beats late. His voice was high, clear, and very quiet. Mimi cheered him on.

" _As we go on_

 _We remember_

 _All the times we_

 _Had together_

 _And as our lives change_

 _Come whatever_

 _We will still be_

 _Friends Forever…"_

Mimi wiped her eyes, already getting emotional.

" _Will we still remember everything we learned in school?_

 _Still be trying to break every single rule_

 _Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?_

 _Can Heather find a job that won't interfere with her tan?"_

Koushiro frowned at the lyrics and lost his place again. "This song is stereotyping us!" he called out to Mimi.

"KEEP SINGING!" Mimi ordered.

" _La la la la…"_ Koushiro counted the _lala_ 's dutifully, without much melody.

Koushiro sneaked off the stage when he got tired of repeating the final chorus, as if nobody would notice, and returned to his table. Taichi gave the boy his drink and he took a big swig.

"Koushiro, I don't think you were singing from the heart," Mimi pointed out.

Koushiro blinked. "I'm only here for the free food." He took a bite of the pizza Jyou had bought for the group.

The others laughed at how blunt Mimi and Koushiro were.

"Also, I can't sing that particular song from the heart when I'm not really leaving," Koushiro stated logically. "I'm going to the same college as Taichi and Sora. I'll be able to visit my parents every week."

"You know, you could be going somewhere more prestigious," Jyou said, a hint of jealousy in his voice. "Didn't you get into M.I.T. in the United States?"

"I did," Koushiro blushed and nodded. He didn't detect Jyou's jealousy. "But I don't want to go to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States. I want to stay here. I like it here."

"We like you being here," Sora said kindly.

"Absolutely! What would we do without you?" Taichi joined in.

Mimi looked uncomfortable. Jyou noticed her troubled expression and touched her hand under the table. She clutched his fingers gratefully.

Taichi looked over Mimi's head and saw that it was his turn. He ruffled Yamato's hair before he ran to the stage and laughed as he heard Yamato growl behind him. Then he jumped on the platform like a rock star, grabbed the microphone stand and leaned over.

Taichi didn't need to be drunk to be a complete ham.

" _Darlin' you got to let me know_

 _Should I stay or should I go?"_

Yamato grumbled, took a very long drink, and ordered another one. Sora patted his hair back down and he didn't object.

"I want to go to America," Mimi blurted.

"Is that what you decided?" Sora asked.

" _This indecision's buggin' me_

 _If you don't want me, set me free"_

"Yyyeeesss," Mimi said slowly.

" _Come on and let me know_

 _Should I cool it or should I blow?"_

"So you'll be returning to New York City in the fall?" Sora beamed. "That's so exciting, Mimi! That's what you wanted! I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks!" Mimi smiled back at her dear friend. She avoided Jyou's eyes.

"A toast for Mimi!" Sora raised her glass and the boys followed suit. Jyou clinked his cup against the others' and Mimi still didn't look at him.

"I'll miss you a lot," Sora said, maintaining her smile. She had expected Mimi to make this decision, but it still hurt.

"Me too," Koushiro said shyly.

" _If I go there will be trouble_

 _And if I stay there will be double_

 _So you gotta let me know_

 _Should I stay or should I go!"_

Taichi finished the song out of tune, but with a ton of charisma, and bowed to the audience's half-hearted cheers.

"You know I'll miss all of you too!" Mimi's smile faded. She couldn't keep it up. She sniffled and took another sip, looking down at the table. She felt Jyou wrap his arm around her bare shoulders.

Taichi skipped back to the table and tapped his friends' heads until he stopped at Sora and ruffled her red hair. "Duck, duck, goose! It's your turn."

Sora smacked Taichi's hand off of her hair and walked to the stage. She was a tiny bit tipsy—enough to make her let loose. She sat down on the stage and sang in a tragic voice.

" _Oooh oooh, ooooh yeah, mmmm..."_

"What did I miss?" Taichi asked.

"Mimi is going to America," Yamato answered.

"Oh!" Taichi noticed that the girl looked emotional, and spoke in a gentler voice. "I think that's great! That's what you wanted, right?"

" _Love can be a many splendored thing_

 _Can't deny the joy it brings_

 _A dozen roses, diamond rings_

 _Dreams for sale and fairy tales"_

Mimi laughed at Sora's melodramatic rendition of the Kelly Clarkson song. "Yes! It is!"

"I think it's great too," Jyou said, and squeezed her shoulder. "You're always talking about how much you loved New York City. You have a lot of friends there."

Mimi finally met Jyou's eyes and smiled gratefully.

" _The trouble with love is_

 _It can tear you up inside_

 _Make your heart believe a lie_

 _It's stronger than your pride"_

"You're really good at making friends," Koushiro agreed. "You won't ever be lonely. Not you."

"Thanks Koushiro." Mimi's heart swelled at everyone's votes of confidence.

" _This sad story always ends the same_

 _Me standin' in the pourin' rain_

 _It seems no matter what I do_

 _It tears my heart in two"_

Taichi nudged Yamato's shoulder. "Oy, what did you do to my best friend's poor heart?"

"Nothiiinggg," Yamato drawled, taking another long drink. "Sora is _simply_ being _dramatic_."

Sora finished her song and there was a smattering of applause. But Mimi whooped loudly for her, which made Sora smile as she made her way back to the table. Yamato stood up and pulled out her chair for her, as if to prove that he was still a gentleman. Sora sat down and gave him the thumbs up.

"Good luck! Not that you need it," Sora said to him.

"Break a leg!" Taichi offered.

Yamato was just drunk enough that he forgot you were supposed to wish performers broken legs, and he scowled at Taichi. Then he strutted to the stage and grabbed the microphone in both hands. He gently swayed to the sweet harp melody and started crooning.

" _Wednesday morning at five o'clock as the day begins_

 _Silently closing her bedroom door_

 _Leaving the note that she hoped would say more_

 _She goes downstairs to the kitchen clutching her handkerchief_

 _Quietly turning the backdoor key_

 _Stepping outside she is free"_

Yamato's voice filled the room and got everyone's attention. A few couples stood up to dance to his waltz.

" _She (We gave her most of our lives)_

 _Is leaving (Sacrificed most of our lives)_

 _Home (We gave her everything money could buy)_

 _She's leaving home after living alone_

 _For so many years (Bye bye)"_

"Whoa, what did you do to my man's fragile heart?" Taichi teased Sora. Sora giggled and fanned herself.

" _She (What did we do that was wrong)_

 _Is having (We didn't know it was wrong)_

 _Fun (Fun is the one thing that money can't buy)_

 _Something inside that was always denied_

 _For so many years (Bye bye)"_

"You're not doing anything wrong, Mimi," Jyou whispered.

"I know," Mimi whispered back. She squeezed his hand gratefully. "Neither are you."

" _She's leaving home_

 _Bye bye"_

Yamato mournfully hit the song's final high notes. When he finished, the audience burst into applause. The noisy reaction suddenly made Yamato self-conscious, and he slinked off the stage back to his table.

"You were on fire!" Jyou said to him approvingly.

"Thanks Jyou," Yamato murmured and sat back down. "Is it your turn?"

"Yes," Jyou answered, and finished his drink for courage.

When he set the cup carefully on his coaster, Mimi grabbed his face and kissed him. Jyou's heart raced faster and he felt giddy as he walked up to the stage. He cleared his throat and began his chosen song.

" _If I should stay_

 _I would only be in your way"_

"Oh my God. Is Jyou doing Whitney Houston?" Yamato whispered.

" _So I'll go but I know_

 _I'll think of you every step of the way"_

"Uh, yep!" Taichi answered.

"That's our Jyou!" Sora cheered.

" _And Iiiiiiiiiiii-eee-iiiii... will always love you, ooh_

 _Will always love you_

 _Yoooouuu_

 _My darling, you..._

 _Mmm-mm"_

He was a terrible singer. Several people in the audience groaned, and one person threw a beer can.

Mimi covered her mouth and felt tears in her eyes.

" _I hope life treats you kind_

 _And I hope you have all you've dreamed of_

 _And I wish you joy and happiness_

 _But above all this I wish you love"_

Jyou persisted. He belted his heart out. Mimi needed to know how he felt.

" _And Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii... will always love you_

 _I will always love you_

 _I will always love you_

 _I will always love yooouuuuu!"_

Jyou's table applauded his bravery, and the rest of the bar frowned at him. He graciously returned to his seat next to Mimi.

"That was amazing!" Mimi was in awe.

Jyou chuckled. "I think love has blinded you."

"You're the blind one, not me!" Mimi hugged him. Then she strode to the stage. She picked up the microphone.

"This is an old song…" Mimi started. "But I like old-fashioned things!"

Jyou buried his face in his hand and blushed.

" _Start spreading the news_

 _I'm leaving today_

 _I want to be a part of it_

 _New York, New York"_

A big brassy band accompanied Mimi's song. Her voice was captivating. People got up to dance again.

" _I wanna wake up in a city_

 _That doesn't sleep_

 _And find I'm queen of the hill_

 _Top of the heap"_

"Come on, we're dancing!" Taichi ordered. He pulled Yamato and Sora to their feet.

"Dancing?" Koushiro asked, in the middle of chewing his pizza. Taichi grabbed his arm and pulled him along too.

Jyou followed them. He knew that he would look like a fool dancing, but he didn't care. He bobbed his head up and down, wiggled his hips, and shook his hands in the air.

Mimi saw her tall, clumsy boyfriend immediately. He really stood out from the crowd. She was so glad that he was hers.

" _And if I can make it there_

 _I'm gonna make it anywhere_

 _It's up to you_

 _New York, New York, New York!"_

Mimi finished her song, and the audience roared. Amidst all the clapping and cheering people, she lost sight of Jyou. A bright spotlight shone on her, blinding her, but Mimi smiled right at it, loving every second.

…

 **Songs:**

" **Graduation (Friends Forever)" by Vitamin C**

" **Should I Stay or Should I Go" by the Clash**

" **The Trouble with Love Is" by Kelly Clarkson**

" **She's Leaving Home" by the Beatles**

" **I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston**

" **New York New York" by Frank Sinatra**


	6. Chapter 6: Salt and Pepper

**Day 6: Café**

 **Chapter 6: Salt and Pepper**

New York City welcomed Mimi with arms wide open. It was bright, loud, colorful, brash—just as Mimi remembered it.

She remembered being so afraid when her family first moved here. The streets looked dirty and the people seemed rude. Everyone spoke a language she could hardly understand. She was no longer the most popular girl in school. She had to start all over in making friends. Mimi had always been an unusual little girl, so loud and confident. Those traits made her unusual in the United States too, but there she was a loud girl with a bad accent. Little American girl Mimi couldn't help but feel more self-conscious.

Perhaps worst of all, little American girl Mimi was still reeling from her adventure in the Digital World, and she had lost her companions who could understand that part of her life, like Sora, Koushiro…and Jyou.

But things got better. She learned the new subway system. She decided that her new favorite foods were falafel and enchiladas. And even though many Americans found her odd or off-putting, there were also many people who were attracted to her confident personality, just like in Japan. Mimi even met new children who were becoming partners with digimon.

Mimi never thought that her new American friends were replacing her Japanese ones; she simply thought that her heart was expanding to include more people.

Mimi _had_ to think like that. Surely her heart was big enough for two countries (and one parallel digital dimension).

The day Mimi returned to New York was windy. She kept one hand on her wide-brimmed hat and one hand on her suitcase, where Palmon was riding. As soon as she stepped into the street in her high-heeled shoes, the wind hit her at full force and seemed to carry all the sounds of the city in it—the cars honking, the people chatting, the dogs howling and the jazz bands playing—it made Mimi burst out laughing in joy. She felt so gloriously independent.

She and Palmon lived in a miniscule apartment with three other girls and two other digimon, and Mimi hit it off with them right away. They all spoke different languages besides English. Every month they went to see Broadway plays together. Mimi always chose to see musicals. She memorized the lyrics to _Wicked_ and _West Side Story_.

Mimi liked college. She liked that she could sleep in. Most of her teachers were nice. One was mean, but she and her roommate bonded over complaining about him, so it worked out. Her nicest teacher encouraged her to apply for an internship at a local television station, and soon Mimi was working behind the scenes on the weather report, helping to deliver important meteorological news to New York City's citizens every Tuesday and Friday. So at least on those two days, Mimi knew whether it would rain or not.

Mimi was an optimistic person, but it wasn't always fun, games, and ice skating in the Rockefeller Center. Actually, it was often hard to live in a foreign country where everyone spoke English, in spite of all her years of experience.

There were some nights when all she wanted to do was curl up in her bed with Palmon and cry over her photographs of her old friends, her old family, and her old boyfriend.

It was hard to schedule phone calls because of the time difference. It was especially difficult to talk to Jyou, who had thrown himself into his studies since Mimi had left.

Mimi sat in a tiny café booth with Palmon and stared at her cell phone on the table. Jyou had not yet responded to her voice mail, and staring at her phone wasn't making it ring.

"He's being super annoying," Palmon observed.

"I think he said he had a math test coming up. An important one," Mimi defended him.

"You have tests TOO, Mimi! You're in college TOO!"

"Jyou's tests are harder…"

"You have it hard TOO!" Palmon insisted.

Mimi sighed and put the cellphone back in her bag. She stared out the window of Hibiki's café. The glass window had pretty Japanese calligraphy painted in red, coloring her view of the busy city street.

Mimi visited Hibiki's café for breakfast every day. For all that she loved exploring the city, it was nice to start her morning in this place with its familiar tastes and smells. But Mimi kept it simple. Every morning, she ordered coffee and eggs.

Mimi always put salt and pepper on her eggs.

Palmon nudged Mimi when the waiter arrived. Mimi recognized him as Sean Sato, whom she and Palmon had dubbed "Mr. Gorgeous Butt" behind his back. Mimi smiled at him and tossed back her hair, which was currently blue.

"Hello Sean," she said.

"Good morning, Mimi," Sean began. "And Palmon."

"Good morning Sean!" Palmon responded. She and Mimi always liked humans who respected digimon.

"Will it be just eggs again for the both of you?" he asked.

"Yes please," Mimi responded.

"Sunny side up?"

"You know me." Mimi leaned back in her chair.

Sean's eyes lingered on the woman's bare shoulders. He grinned. "Of course! You're our most predictable customer."

Mimi suddenly scowled. "I'm not predictable!"

"We're _exciting, dangerous women!_ " Palmon added.

"Ah, sorry!" Sean blushed and apologized quickly. "Nothing wrong with eating eggs for breakfast!"

Mimi thought it was endearing how flustered he looked. "Shall we forgive him, Palmon?"

Palmon squinted at him. "Okay. But only if the eggs taste good."

"That's fair!" Mimi quipped.

"They will taste perfect. I promise," Sean assured them, and left their table.

He returned with their drinks and their eggs shortly thereafter. Mimi neatly brushed back her long blue hair and put salt and pepper on her eggs, like always. They tasted predictable, familiar, and mature.

When Sean gave her the check at the end of the meal, Mimi already had the exact change out to pay the bill. But then she noticed that there was something different about the check. Beneath the total price, Sean had scrawled…

"That's his phone number!" Palmon whispered loudly.

Mimi nodded, not sure what to say.

"Can we make friends with him?" Palmon smiled toothily.

Mimi hesitated.

"I think you'd really like a Japanese friend!" Palmon added. She worried about Mimi a lot.

Mimi smiled lovingly at her digimon partner and patted her flowery head. "The only person I really, really, _really_ need is you, Palmon."

"No you need MORE friends!" Palmon insisted, ruining the sentimental moment. "You're an extrovert, Mimi! I know what that is! You need LOTS of people!"

Mimi couldn't help but laugh. She paid the bill. She picked up the receipt and Palmon and put them both in her bag. As she was stepping out of the door, she looked behind her and caught Sean's eye as he was cleaning a coffee mug. She blew him a kiss.


	7. Chapter 7: The End

**Day 7: Flowers**

 **Chapter 7: The End**

" _This sad story always ends the same_

 _Me standin' in the pourin' rain_

 _It seems no matter what I do_

 _It tears my heart in two"_

-Kelly Clarkson, "The Trouble with Love"

…

"…And as you can see with the incoming East wind, this rain storm isn't letting up anytime soon! Temperatures are expected to drop to forty-five degrees tomorrow and to forty degrees on Sunday. Don't forget your umbrella!" Cynthia Summerhold the Weather Woman flashed a dazzling smile at the camera and waved her hand over the green screen, pointing to where the East wind would be animated for the viewers at home.

Beside the cameraman, Mimi Tachikawa the studio intern was monitoring the teleprompter. She felt incredibly lucky to be here. She thought that Cynthia Summerhold was a great reporter who always made boring weather reports seem exciting. Cynthia once even scandalized viewers by wearing a sparkly dress that was deemed too short. Clearly, the weather channel was the fun place to be in news media.

Cynthia signed off on Friday's weather report and then gave Mimi the thumbs up, signaling that her shift was over. The young Japanese student gathered her things and stepped out of the studio into the hallway, where she instantly crashed into someone and made them spill their coffee.

" _Sumimasen_ ," Mimi apologized instinctively. "I mean, sorry—" Mimi's eyes widened. She realized that she had bumped into Parisa Abbasi, the department's other intern. Parisa always wore such beautiful, colorful outfits, and Mimi couldn't help but feel flustered around the stylish girl. Parisa also stood at an imposing six feet tall, but she never acted self-conscious about her height. Mimi found her confidence very attractive.

The tall woman laughed. "Oh, it's you, Mimi! Don't be sorry. I forgive pretty girls for anything."

Mimi blushed and picked up the coffee cup. "It's empty now. I owe you another one."

"Shall we make it a date?" Parisa asked teasingly, grabbing the cup and lingering her hand on Mimi's fingers.

Mimi's heart skipped a beat and then suddenly felt heavy. She opened her mouth and no sound came out.

Parisa's expression softened. "You miss that Japanese boy a lot, don't you?"

Mimi nodded guiltily. "Yes." Her voice felt dry.

"I understand," Parisa continued. "I've got a girl back in Iran. I mean, I had her. Back then… She had long hair, like you." Parisa admired Mimi's light brown hair.

Mimi grinned. "Jyou was tall, like you!"

Both girls laughed.

"I still owe you coffee," Mimi offered. "Can I still take you out just for fun? When the rain has stopped."

"Yes of course!" Parisa squeezed Mimi's hand and continued walking down the hall.

Mimi sighed and walked in the opposite direction to the exit. Her bag unbuckled itself and a giant pink flower popped out. Beneath the flower, Mimi could see Palmon's sad face.

"Mimi, Jyou said that you could date other people if you wanted," her digimon warbled.

"I know." Mimi patted Palmon's head.

"I don't like seeing you lonely," Palmon sniffled.

"I'm never alone. Not with you!"

"But…" Palmon sighed and fished around in the crowded bag for Mimi's umbrella. She picked up her cellphone by accident and it suddenly rung in her hands. Palmon shrieked in surprise and dropped the vibrating device. Then she gasped and picked it back up. "MIMI!"

"What?"

"IT'S JYOU!"

Mimi's heart skipped two beats. She flattened down her hair as if Jyou could see her. Then she realized what she was doing and shook her head. "Snap out of it!" she yelled at herself.

"Answer it! Answer it! Answer it!" Palmon repeated eagerly and handed the phone to her friend.

Mimi jammed the phone next to her ear and used the poshest voice she could muster. "Hello, Jyou. You've caught me coming out of a very important news broadcast about the weather. How are you?"

"WET!" It was Jyou's familiar grouchy loud voice. "I mean—sorry I yelled—I mean—H-hi Mimi! Am I bothering you?"

"No! Never you!" Mimi was delighted to hear him again. "How are you wet?"

"I…got lost in New York City and my umbrella broke," he said very fast.

"WHAT?!" Mimi's jaw dropped.

"I'm very, very sorry about this. I wanted to surprise you when your shift ended at the station, but I must have taken a wrong turn… I'm completely hopeless."

"Jyou!" Mimi's heart melted. "You came all the way to America! That's so spontaneous!"

"And _stupid_ of me! And completely insensitive! You probably have all sorts of fun things planned for the weekend with your glamorous American friends and now I'm ruining it—" There was a tussling noise on the other end and Gomamon's squeaky voice interrupted him.

"Don't listen to him! He's madly in love with you!" Gomamon did his best to cover up for Jyou.

Mimi covered her mouth and felt tears in her eyes. "Oh Jyou…"

Palmon giggled hysterically. "He loves you!"

There was the sound of more wrestling and Jyou came back on the line. "I'm sorry! I—I should have called you first! I don't know what came over me!"

"Jyou, where are you?" Mimi asked eagerly.

"I'm—uh, let me check the street sign—I'm on the corner of 59th Street and Central Park, by this huge traffic circle—"

"Jyou! That's just across the street from my work!"

"It is?"

Gomamon interrupted again. "I _told_ you that I knew how to read a map!"

"Oh shut up already—"

Mimi interrupted them. "I'll be right there!"

"You have an umbrella, right?" Jyou's voice was timid.

"Yes!" Mimi lilted and ended the call. Palmon quickly dug the fluffy umbrella out of Mimi's bag and handed it to her.

Mimi opened it and leaped out of the building. She ran through the puddles in her high heel shoes. A crowd of people crossed the street with her. Mimi pushed through them. She reached Central Park and looked left and right, and then she looked right in front of her.

He was tall. He was wet. His blue hair was plastered to his face. His glasses were covered in rain drops. He wore a long brown coat and he held an inside-out umbrella in his left hand. In his right arm he held Gomamon—who saw Mimi first. The seal immediately whipped out a dozen red roses with his flipper.

He was truly a heavenly vision.

"JYOOOOOU!" Mimi dropped everything and leaped. Jyou heard her voice and saw her. He dropped everything and caught her just in time. Mimi kissed him and Jyou responded immediately and enthusiastically, spinning her around in circles.

All around them, in the park and in the taxi cabs and in the street, everyone watching said "Awww" at the same time.

Mimi pulled her face a few inches back. "You came!"

"I missed you," Jyou said honestly.

Mimi kissed him again.

Jyou set her down on her feet. "I need that umbrella, please."

"Mimi to the rescue!" Palmon said excitedly and gave her the umbrella. Mimi picked her partner back up and held the umbrella high above their heads.

"Jyou had the idea to give these to you _all by himself_ because he's _that_ romantic!" Gomamon exclaimed, and he held out the bouquet of roses. (Mimi could tell that he was exaggerating the truth.) Jyou picked the digimon back up and handed the flowers to her.

Mimi took them gratefully. "They're beautiful."

"Thank you—I mean, you're welcome." Jyou recovered quickly. "I am…so sorry to barge in on you like this."

"It's okay. I'd forgive you for anything," Mimi quipped.

Jyou sighed in relief. "Thank you."

Mimi gazed adoringly at his eyes. "I missed you too…" She swallowed. "How do we make this work?"

"Well…" Jyou spoke slowly. "We both know what it's like to be separated from family. When we were in the Digital World, we didn't know when or if we would ever get back home. But now… we know when college will end."

Mimi nodded. "Four years isn't that long."

"It's a lot less stressful to wait when you know the date of when you're coming back home," Jyou continued.

"Yes," Mimi agreed. "Whatever happens afterwards, I want you to be there."

"Me too."

Mimi stood on her tiptoes, and Jyou leaned down and they kissed each other once more—a short kiss, since they were both holding their digimon. Then Jyou wrapped his arm around Mimi's shoulders, and Mimi held her umbrella high, and they both headed home.

 **The End**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **My special thanks goes out to the mod of the Jyoumifeels tumblr, who organized Jyoumi Week and provided the prompt words that inspired this story.**

 **This story is for all Jyoumistas, but it is especially for Koukacs, who is good, honest, faithful, reliable, sincere, pure, and every other word that we use to describe Jyou and Mimi. I would not have written this story if I hadn't made friends with you!**

 **If you've read this far, then please, please review! I want to know what YOU think, you wonderful person.**


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